First Look: TNT's 'Dallas'

TNT gave viewers their first glimpse of its newly greenlighted series Dallas on Monday night during the season premieres of The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles. The Warner Horizon Television-produced project — which got the go-ahead late last week with a 10-episode order for a summer 2012 premiere — is from executive producer Cynthia Cidre, who also wrote the pilot. Michael M. Robin directed the pilot and also executive produced. The cast includes Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo and Brenda Strong along with a couple of original Dallas denizens you might recognize.

47 Comments

carg0 • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

when are they bringing back CHiP’s?

Jon • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

LOL.

Janey • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Yikes!

Vaughn Leland • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Tired of remakes and rehashes BUT! This looks like it could be good. Was a huge fan of Dallas back in the 80s and good to see ol’ J.R. back again! Hopefully others from the old-school cast will appear as time goes on. And Brenda Strong….yum! #olderwoman #milf #tall #mmmm

PS: Please ignore the last 5 seasons of the original Dallas when writing scripts. Thanks

Anonymous • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

It’s going to be great

Miss Ellie • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I guess the expression “you can’t go home again” is true. This doesn’t look as bad as I expected it to be, but it doesn’t look good either. Mediocre is the word. The writing seems very weak and formulaic. The original Dallas became a success because of the drama, this has none, and the characters seem two-dimensional. Maybe it’s just the horrible casting and bad acting. I don’t know. But Dallas, this ain’t!

Casting • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Regarding casting, removing acting skills (absurd, I know) and look at it from a teen, young adult perspective. Jesse and Josh are smoking hot and compliment each others’ hotness. For that very reason this show might work.

I know there will be contention on this but I point to Vampire Diaries. EVERY guy on that show is ridiculosly good looking.

And the storyline on that show is taxing at times but has great ratings, for CW. So maybe this show should be on CW!

Again, Dallas might actually work. God help us!

Caio • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

REALLY? You just watched a one minute promo, and from that you can say the writing seems very week and formulaic, it has no drama and the characters seem two-dimensional?

You can’t tell anything from a one minute promo, but the script is actually pretty good.

Ronaldo • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I love ya, Larry Hagman… but from those brief clips, it’s clear you’re not physically up for this.

Jimmy • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Every time I see Larry Hagman I want to yell, “For the love of God will someone please trim his eyebrows!”

Avery • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I’m way more interested in the original characters (JR, Bobby, Sue Ellen) than the younger ones. I’d watch if the show was more about them.

Frank Ocean • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

So, whine and cry like everything else?

Bad acting? Patrick Duffy, Linda Evans and Larry Hagman have become bad actors all of a sudden? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

The writing is weak and formulaic? You mean the plots about the Ewings and oil? Cuz that’s all Dallas is anyway.

So complain just cuz? Yeah I thought so.

Josh • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

AMAZING!!! This is how to bring a show back. None of that reboot/remake/recasting nonsense. The best show in the history of television is back, and I couldn’t be happier.

The Kevster • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

This is positively frightening. The original cast look mummified and there’s a good reason the younger actors have a host of failed TV series behind them. I guess the only positive: at least it’s not another one of TNT’s inane procedurals.

JJ • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Patrick Duffy looks FANTASTIC for his age! Still handsome.

lioness • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Josh Henderson? Jesse Metcalfe? Really???

Even though Dallas was a guilty pleasure nighttime soap, it was still an EPIC guilty pleasure nighttime soap. Which means you need to cast people capable of attracting eyeballs and sustaining an audience’s interest. People who are, I don’t know, capable of stirring up some convincing emotions.

I don’t mind the reboot in theory, but it looks like the people putting this together don’t have a clue.

FunkDubious • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

The casting smacks of this is who we could get for the money we were offering. There are better looking people in my Crossfit class why would I tune in to watch a bunch of recurring characters from cancelled CW shows and John McCain & company?

The Right Coast • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I don’t think I can wit until next summer! Quick—where’s my time machine?

TomF • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

It looks and feels sort of sad, doesn’t it? Like resurrecting I LOVE LUCY in the mid-1980s would have felt. Or the DICK VAN DYKE SHOW reunion a few years ago did feel. Some things should only be thought about, not tried.

Decebal • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Is J.R. drunk or did he have a stroke?

Constrictor • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

He’s old. It happens.

jennab • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

No, sorry. This does look horrible, a completely straightforward, humorless, predictable re-make. Uggh. They needed a fresh approach and this looks like day-old bread.

a • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Shit.
I know I should but I just can’t pass this up.
Kids, the writing was weak & formulaic back then. Drama? Is that what they’re calling high camp these days? What made Dallas such a scorcher in its day was the audacity of the plots & Larry Hagman’s over the top J.R Ewing.

Tedd • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Did they hire the same production team form the original lol Wow that looks dated for a new show

wordgirl • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Could there be anything less timely and “cool” than a story about a wealthy Texas family that drills for oil? There’s no way to make oil drilling young, hip and cool. And trying to do so definitely sends the wrong message. Epic Fail TNT…

Thomas J. Coleman • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Actually, oil and gas will remain “hip and cool” with many as long as there’s so much money and risk involved, from the young roughneck at the drilling rig to the old geezer in the Chairman’s Office, as long as we keep using so much of it. Young or old, we can’t just wish it away. It will take a lot of inspiration and hard work to replace it, or to find a dramatic angle on solar or wind power (nothing comes to mind right now, but give us some time to “develop” it). Until then, for good or ill (or both), oil makes us crazy. As a native Texan, I can smile when saying that. My Iranian, Saudi, Mexican, Venezuelan, Russian and Romanian friends smile too; they know what I’m talkin’ about.

Van • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I love my stories

Layne • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I think it looks FAAAAAAAABULOUS!!!! I hope the naysayers will all be choking on their predictions of doom and gloom and that TNT will be laughing all the way to the bank w/another hit on their hands!

Brian • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Looks good. Will really be looking forward to it.

CFX • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Holy Shit This Looks Bad

Get Real • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

“The writing is weak and formulaic”? Really? It’s a teaser trailer, Ebert. If you can get all that from something that runs about a minute you should be a rich man in the industry, not a pretentious troll posting on Deadline.

Jeff • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

I’ll support anything that’s not a procedural. Go Dallas!

agent x • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

Pilot looks absolutely gorgeous!! Can’t wait to see it as a series!!

absolutelyanonymous • on Jul 12, 2011 7:46 am

it’s a sad scenario. “dallas”? really? this is 2011. post bush. the aversion to take a risk with anything new, like amc, is sad.